Tropicals & House Plants

As various of our longterm customers regularly ask about availability of plants once offered in past catalogues (we suspect that many of you have more complete year-by-year collections of those newsprint compilations than we do), we have re-listed many of these old plant treasures after getting them back into propagation; furthermore, we've been propagating many new treasures from the main collections as well as readying choice new plants sent to us by those of you who love to collect and hybridize and wish to share your treasures with the rest of us. And, as usual, you will note that we like to name these new cultivars and hybrids after you!

Since our customers continue to increase their interests and expand their displays of the wondrous TROPICAL LOOK in their outdoor gardens, we have added items for this look-- new Aroids, choice Sansevieria, dramatic Agaves and their cousins, returning Begonias, a solid selection of reliable handsome Bromeliads, some very showy spiderworts and Acanthus family members. So continue to tart up your urns & planters unabashedly; shamelessly pump up those perennial beds by adding a few companion tropicals. We have also continued to expand plant selections in increasingly popular categories: tropical bonsai plants (especially succulent Bonsai), cultivars suited for standards & topiary, tried & true succulents suited for living wreaths or Fairy Gardens, new distinctive material to try in your windowboxes, living walls, patio urns and reliable yet choice terrarium subjects. (The sheer number of terrariums and wardian cases you purchased from us last year continues to esculate.) Many of these new items are perfect for your fair garden designs and for the popular living wall movement.

Meanwhile, we have not forgotten our core support group (many of whom have been ordering /supporting us for well over 20 years now) who need new treasures for their hobby greenhouses & conservatories; their extensive lite gardens & plantrooms, and especially those who need a regular fix of an astounding new variegated cultivars. A reminder to our many Southern customers: many of the plants are excellent choices for your permanent plantings even though they are summertime bedding or greenhouse plants in our Zone 6b climate.

You will notice an ever increasing number of individual photos & images this season--the attempt to illustrate nearly every plant we list continues--and we do thank profusely those of you who have sent photos we can use as so many of our older stock plants show the effect of many cuttings and airlayerings, resulting in less than typical stature for that particular species and/or cultivar--and all of us enjoy seeing how you have potted and combined your plant treasures. We have always learned more from our faithful customer friends than we have from all our many reference books.

Most plants are sent rooted in 2 1/2"- 5 1/5" plastic pots unless coded as unrooted cuttings for certain succulents.

(upright rhizomatous) Strong stems hold dramatic leaves, unfurling from small parsley green cups into wide heavily veined leaves dramatically fringed with a frothy edge; reaches a third of the size of parent 'Crestabruchii.' (And the ONLY seedling Frieling has managed to grow from this parent.) if you love the fabulous...

(rhizomatous) Very compact mound of tightly held small whirlpooled leaves of rich bright green patterned mahogany-violet; the furled foliage reveals the purpled underleaves. Frieling hybrid of 'Hocking Coquette' x 'Roulette' which can be in short supply.

(cane) Impressive clusters of fragrant salmon-pink dangling blossoms; elegant long angel wing leaves angle out on the stout erect cane stems. Achieves impressive dimensions in time. We do not make claims about the scent, believing that subtle scents reside in the nose of the beholder, not the vendor. Certainly on...

)tuberous; thick stemmed) Erect maroon stalks rise from a slowly developing somewhat bulbous base (much larger than the similarly structured 'Little Brother Montgomery') which must not be covered, to support large showy deeply lobed leaves splashed with pewter. Easy: the name reflects its strength although this cultiva...

A well known hybrid by Ken Frieling at the Glasshouse Works. "Celery Stalk" thick blanched erect petioles flare into double Ionic helixes of wide deep olive leaves nearly entirely netted deep chocolate-sienna; very congested habit typical of many recent 'Hocking Hybrid' series. Although most popular as a basic addition...

(thick trunked) Impressive tall stalks support not only silvery frosted deely lobed angelwing leaves, richly rouged beneath, but also pendant large clusters of fragrant pearly pink blossoms fading to white--but considerable patience is demanded to grow this to the maturity needed to bloom. Needs good humidity and adeqa...

(caudex shrub) Stout short trunks present swirled palmate star leaves of silvery toned emerald green veins and edges. Johnson hybrid with pink blossoms over the rex like foliage. Just in case you've neglected this a bit and the foliage fails, never fear for the slightly tuberous base will resprout new stems; conversely...

(shrub/cane) Much-branched low-grower with lovely miniature angelwing foliage strewn with silver. The very showy shell pink spring blossoms repeat when given ample light. Easy beautiful basket plant; excellent choice for the windowsill. Petite enough and easy enough to have become a favorite with designers of Fai...

Glasshouse Works

The Glasshouse Works greenhouses is a mailorder nursery specializing in rare and exotic hardy and tropical plants from around the world. We are your source for plants both traditional and unusual. Variegated plants are our specialty.